Hi-5 ABA

Hi 5 ABA traces its origins to 2012, when Stephanie Maddox founded ABC Behavior in Northern and Central Virginia. By late 2018, the system had grown to 10 operating ABA therapy businesses in that region. David Maddox joined Stephanie after founding Cornerstone Mission Inc. in 2003 and formalized Hi 5 ABA, Inc. as a Virginia corporation on December 19, 2018, with headquarters in Warrenton, Virginia. The franchise began offering opportunities to qualified Board Certified Behavior Analysts in March 2019. By 2023, it had 22 total units, including 21 franchised units and 1 company owned unit. The 2024 Franchise Disclosure Document reports 28 franchised locations across the United States and 14 states, with the South holding the largest concentration at 12 locations. The company supports practitioners across more than 18 states and is pursuing national expansion. Its model is designed specifically for BCBAs who want to own an ABA practice while receiving support with credentialing, insurance billing, payroll, and cash flow administration. This page is independent research based on public FDD filings and disclosed company data, not marketing material.

ABA therapy operates within the behavioral health market, a rapidly expanding part of United States healthcare. Autism spectrum disorder diagnoses have increased significantly in recent decades, and Centers for Disease Control prevalence data supports sustained demand for developmental interventions. Major medical and insurance organizations endorse ABA therapy as the gold standard treatment. Because autism is lifelong and often requires early, intensive services, ABA practices may maintain client relationships for extended periods and produce recurring revenue. The International Franchise Association’s 2025 outlook projects $578 billion in franchise GDP, 5% forecast growth in 2025, and $936.4 billion in total franchise output across the United States. Behavioral health and ABA therapy remain fragmented locally and regionally, despite transactions such as Alongside acquiring San Diego ABA in May 2025 and Commonwealth ABA being sold to Already Autism Health in January 2025. These transactions show continuing institutional interest in the category. Families may continue autism therapy during economic downturns rather than defer it like restaurant visits or discretionary retail purchases.

The minimum liquid capital requirement is $20,000, and the minimum net worth requirement is $100,000. Conversion franchisees may pay as little as $500, while non conversion franchisees pay between $12,000 and $15,000 according to disclosed FDD data. Timothy Maddox, Director of Franchising since the company’s December 2018 inception, provides full fee details and initial startup cost projections. Total initial investment is $15,618 to $74,730 in 2025 FDD data, while a 2026 source reports $15,918 to $80,870. The range depends largely on technology selections, insurance levels, professional fees, and working capital for the first six months, listed at $12,500 to $50,000 according to practice scale and growth pace. Other costs include technology system equipment of $600 to $2,500, technology system services of $93 to $780, business equipment and supplies of $300 to $500, insurance of $1,000 to $3,000, professional fees of $500 to $2,000, and marketing of $125 to $575. Veterans receive a 10% discount on the first territory franchise fee. Hi 5 Processing, Inc., an affiliate founded alongside Hi 5 ABA, Inc. in 2018 by David Maddox, may provide up to $50,000 for payroll and other necessary business expenses, subject to outstanding receivables and the limitations in Item 10 of the FDD.

The operating model allows the BCBA franchisee to focus on clinical supervision and client outcomes while Hi 5 ABA supports administrative work. Services start with an initial assessment and orientation by a Licensed Behavior Analyst, followed by an individualized treatment plan and authorization requests to applicable insurers. After authorization, the practice coordinates a weekly schedule with the family. Direct therapy generally runs 10 to 30 hours per week per client and is performed substantially by Registered Behavior Technicians under BCBA direction. Therapy is primarily delivered in homes, though franchisees also serve clients in schools, workplaces, and community settings. Franchisees manage caseloads and schedules, while Hi 5 ABA supports recruiting analysts and behavior technicians and provides employee onboarding. Training covers clinical supervision, treatment plan development, practice management, recruitment and retention, and marketing. Continuing support includes business consulting, credentialing, insurance claims preparation, billing and collections, payroll, bookkeeping and accounting, cash flow assistance, financial reporting, insurer relationships, clinical consultation, audit manuals, daily templates, and training materials and videos. Hi 5 ABA and Hi 5 Processing, Inc. provide this infrastructure. COO Tom Fremont rejoined the team in 2024. Certain sources describe exclusive geographic protection, but investors should review current FDD disclosures and clarify territory terms with the franchise development team.

Those figures describe the corporate franchisor rather than individual franchise units. Investors should distinguish billed revenue from collected revenue because insurance reimbursement timing and claim decisions affect cash receipts.

Hi 5 ABA grew from 0 franchised units at its March 2019 launch to 21 by the end of 2023 and 28 in the 2024 FDD data. That represents approximately 4 to 5 net new units per year during its first five franchising years. The latest data shows locations in 14 states, with the South accounting for 12. In 2024, Tom Fremont returned as Chief Operating Officer of Hi 5 ABA Processing, focusing on business growth and development. A member of the leadership team also developed the first RBT manual in Mandarin through volunteer work at a special needs foster home in China. Ben MacGowen serves as COO of Hi 5 ABA and oversees franchise group development, system development, process improvement, product development, and affiliate integration. The connection between Hi 5 ABA and Hi 5 Processing, Inc. supports billing, credentialing, payroll, and cash flow management, which can make the affiliate’s infrastructure central to franchise operations.

The intended franchise candidate is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst with the clinical credentials to operate an ABA practice but without the business infrastructure, administrative experience, or capital access to build independently. David Maddox and Stephanie Maddox designed the model for clinically qualified BCBAs seeking practice ownership with administrative support. Franchisees retain clinical independence over treatment plans, growth pace, caseload development, and business style. The system supports both single territory operators and multi unit owners. Territories currently span more than 18 states, with plans to enter additional states in the near term. BCBAs considering metropolitan or suburban markets should confirm current availability with the franchise development team. The conversion path suits existing independent practices that want Hi 5 ABA’s administrative and processing infrastructure without rebuilding clinical operations. Nirvana Kowlessar Hirshleifer, a BCBA and Hi 5 ABA franchise owner, said the experience was the happiest of her career and credited the system’s support with helping her build a sustainable practice while retaining her clinical culture and values.

Hi 5 ABA combines a low stated capital requirement with administrative support through Hi 5 Processing, Inc. and operates in a category tied to rising autism identification rates. The system expanded from 10 Virginia based ABC Behavior offices in 2018 to 28 franchised locations across 14 states in the latest FDD. PeerSense provides independent due diligence data, including SBA lending history, a Loan Activity Score, location maps with Google ratings, FDD financial data, and comparison tools for behavioral health and ABA therapy franchises. PeerSense is a commercial capital advisory firm that introduces franchise buyers to SBA and conventional lenders. It is not a lender and does not approve or provide loans.